Zest for Life
by arccie
Summary: Summary: Fuji has plans to celebrate his birthday alone that don’t quite pan out. Fuji unbirthday fic. [Warnings: shounen ai, FujiRyo]


_Author Notes: I've had this idea since 3 months after Fuji's birthday last year, but couldn't see the point in working on it that late. Yes, I know this is 2 weeks late, but unfortunately I couldn't quite join everything together so it ran on and on…probably should have found a way to chop it at 1000 words._

_Once again no Taka-san as it's set in high school._

Enjoy…?

**Zest for Life**

Curious gaze met curious gaze.

Eyes tracing round delicate ears, across lightly freckled cheeks, over delicate lips, around a delicate nose and into blue eyes, caught and held.

It was with a concerted effort of will that Fuji managed to refrain from rolling his eyes.

No matter what people said, no matter how he looked at it, no matter how he thought about it, he just did not feel eighteen.

Not that he felt four as Eiji had suggested was his true age last year.

He was just…too young to be an adult.

_Great,_ he thought sarcastically, he was having a midlife crisis before he reached twenty.

Well, everyone always said that genius's matured faster. Guess that meant he wouldn't want to buy a Ferrari in thirty years.

Fuji snorted at his ruminations, shaking his head lightly.

With a twist of his wrist, cold water cascaded into the basin and cupping his palms, he splashed the water onto his face.

Feeling refreshed of his idle thoughts, he stepped out of the bathroom and into the wave of girls crowding the doorway.

"KYAAAAAAAH! FUJI!" The screams reverberated off the walls, the sound almost a physical wall blasting Fuji back.

It was a painful decision not to retreat back into the bathroom.

Just as he began to think he'd have to brave wading through the girls' mass of grabbing hands by himself, Eiji popped up beside him, smiling widely.

"Wah! Fuji's so popular. I think I even spotted Megumi near the centre of the crowd and just last week she was telling everybody that she'd only like someone special." The other teen nudged him repeatedly with his elbow. "Someone special, eh Fuji?"

Quirking an eyebrow at his friend's childish display, he fixed a pleasant smile on his face as he stepped forward and into the crowd, ignoring Eiji's cry of protest.

"Fuji! Don't abandon me with these weird girls. They might eat me alive."

From the yowls his friend emitted shortly after that, Fuji suspected some of the girls had taken offence at Eiji's comments.

Gifts were pushed into his hands with an eagerness that belied the shy smiles and coyly fluttering eyes of the girls he received them from.

Right as he was beginning to feel the more than proverbial weight of his gifts a commotion began at the edge of his crowd of fans.

Screams of outrage quickly gave way to sullen muttering, the group of girls parting before a loudly arguing Momo and Kaidoh. In their wake trailed the rest of the tennis team regulars, with only Tezuka missing from the group.

The girls scattered even further as Momo and Kaidoh threw out their arms in wild, violent gestures, oblivious in their anger with each other to the near misses of their swinging limbs.

Oishi peered out from behind the two juniors, smiling happily if somewhat nervously as he kept one eye on the pack of girls that were quickly reforming at their backs. "Ah, hello Fuji.

"Oishi." Fuji nodded at the vice-captain. "What are you all doing here?"

"Considering the commotion your birthday usually causes, Tezuka sent us to escort you to the tennis courts." Oishi explained.

Eye lashes aflutter, Fuji asked, "The whole team this year? I do feel appreciated."

Coughing uncomfortably, Oishi avoided looking at Momo or Kaidoh. "Well, after last year's fiasco where your escort didn't show up, resulting in the mauling incident, we thought we should err on the side of caution."

The words obviously caught the attention of the two teens arguing, Momo breaking off his argument with Kaidoh mid sentence. He turned to Oishi with a wounded expression on his face.

"It wasn't my fault we didn't get here last year, vice-captain. If only the viper hadn't decided to pick a fight." Momo whined pitiably.

"_I _picked a fight? Fssssh!" Kaidoh grabbed a fistful of Momo's shirt. "_You _were the one that stuck your fist in that guy's face."

Returning Kaidoh's gesture, Momo glared at the other teen. "_I _wasn't the one who bumped into them in the first place."

Stance shifting to become more threatening, Kaidoh used his fistful of Momo's shirt to pull him closer. "Do you have a problem with how I walk, peach-breath?"

"I have a problem with _you _viper." Momo smirked with vicious anticipation.

Their imminent fight, however, was halted by the sudden presence of a glass of steaming black liquid appearing between their faces.

"Ah," the team's data-man exclaimed, "I didn't realise you were both so eager to help me ascertain the health properties of my Inui rendition nine algal juice."

The two juniors swallowed, abruptly turning a rather unflattering shade of green. With matching haste, the two turned their attention from each other, towards Fuji.

"Yo, Fuji." Momo's cheeky grin spread across his face, replacing the previous sickly smile "Happy Un-Birthday!"

Before Fuji could reply, Eiji bounced impatiently into the middle of the group, glaring at the two juniors. "Hoi hoi, come on, give it to him!"

"Yeah, Viper, stop dawdling and hand the man his present. Of course if you're too incompetent to do that…" the dunk smash specialist taunted.

At Momo's taunt, Kaidoh awkwardly shoved a brightly packaged box at Fuji, glaring at the dunk-smash specialist the entire time.

"Fssshh!"

Accepting the gift, he stroked a hand along the shimmering wrapping. Careful of the gift's delicacy, Fuji placed it into his bag, before directing a happy smile towards the other regulars.

"Thank you everyone." Voiced with bright pleasure, he couldn't help but think it was a wasted effort. With the exception of Oishi and Ryoma, the others had become involved in Momo and Kaidoh's newly begun disagreement. Coughing loudly he made sure to attract their attention. "However, it really could have waited until after practice."

"And have you distracted by the thought of what gifts are waiting for you?" Eiji questioned dramatically.

Oishi shrugged apologetically. "Eiji was very certain, and rather convincing, that you wouldn't focus 100 percent on practice if you didn't get it before, and ahh…you know how Tezuka is, and with the semi-finals approaching…"

"We didn't think you wanted to be running laps for your birthday." Momo chimed in.

"How thoughtful of you." Although that description sounded more like it would have been Eiji getting more laps in his excitement to give Fuji the present.

Suddenly, excitement flashed through Momo's eyes and he grinned broadly at the birthday boy. "Oho, Fuji can buy us alcohol." He crowed.

"Fssh! You're trying to make him break the law so you can become less of an athlete than you already are."

"Oi, Viper! What do you know, huh? A little bit of alcohol occasionally is a good way of having fun. Not that you would know, Mr-Stick-in-the-Mud."

"I don't think you should let Fuji buy you alcohol Momo. Being an old man, senility's probably setting in and you're liable to end up with prune juice or the like." Ryoma announced in the pause between Momo and Kaidoh's arguing.

Sharp smile edged onto Fuji's face to be directed at the boy. "Still drinking milk for that supposed growth spurt that's coming?"

Nose turned up, Ryoma said loftily, "I'm a late developer."

They both ignored Inui's attempt to interject the statistical likelihood of such a situation.

Fuji grinned. "If you say so short stuff."

Interrupting the two's jibes, Eiji slung an arm across Fuji's shoulder

"So, what's your family doing for your birthday? Are they going to let you hustle them all at billiards?"

"No," Fuji's smile became sharp edged, "that's reserved for _friends_."

"He he." Looking nervous, Eiji backed slightly away from Fuji. "So what are your plans?"

"Mmm, no plans. My parents are visiting my grandparents in Nagasaki."

"Really? What about Yumiko and Yuuta?"

"Well Yumiko is staying overnight in Kobe for a conference, and Yuuta had a training trip with the rest of St Rudolph's tennis team this week."

"But Fuji, doesn't that mean you'll be all alone? On your birthday?" The acrobatic player asked in tones of horror.

Fuji fought back a smile at Eiji's reaction. The boy could barely stand not being centre of the attention say to day, let alone on his birthday. "Yes, tonight I get the house all to myself. That means more wasabi sushi for me, and maybe I'll finally get to try out the Naga Jolokia_1_."

Nose screwed up in distaste, Eiji tried to look enthusiastic for Fuji's plans. "Eh he he, I suppose if it's Fuji he can have fun all by himself."

"There are _many_ things one can do to have fun by themselves." His tone was sly with innuendo.

"Really?" Both Momo and Eiji questioned, the double meaning of his words flying right by them, although Kaidoh and Oishi looked a bit pink around the ears while Inui's constant scribbling gained a frantic edge.

"_Mmhmm _" That probably came off as slightly too pleased.

"Come on Fuji, tell us." Cajoled Eiji.

"Yeah, tell us. "Momo echoed. "Share the wisdom. I get so bored when there's nobody around."

Looking frantically at his watch, Oishi started pushing Eiji and Momo back through the crowd of girls, shooting pointed looks at the other regulars as he did so. "Oh, look at the time. If we don't hurry Tezuka's going to make us all run laps until we're ninety."

"But Oishi," the red head complained, "Fuji was going to tell us interesting stuff."

"No!" Oishi barked. "Nope, nothing interesting to tell, right Fuji? See? Let's go." Not waiting for an answer, Oishi almost frog marched the two inquisitive regulars along the hallway, leaving Fuji smirking at their retreating backs.

He only moved to follow the departing group when he was nudged lightly by the youngest in the team.

"Looks like Oishi spoiled your fun Fuji." The younger boy said as he strolled along, keeping a careful eye on fan girls they were passing.

"Unfortunately." Fuji said with a sigh.

"There's always later, of course." The boy's smirk disappeared behind the brim of his hat.

"True." Cocking his head, Fuji grinned. "Very true."

"Soooo…" Ryoma drew out the word. "I'll race you to the courts."

"What's in it for me?" Laying a hand on Ryoma's shoulder, he halted the boy's movements.

"Fewer laps from Tezuka?"

Before the words had finished leaving his mouth, the younger boy was off and running, ignoring Fuji's indignant "Oi!" behind him.

A mere couple of moments later, Fuji was off and chasing him down, the fan girls following him an added incentive for speed.

X-----------------------------------------------------X----------------------------------------------------X

As he exited the school gates a small figure stepped out of the structures shadow and attached itself to his side. Falling into near step with him, sometimes a step behind, often a step ahead.

Fuji paused at the crossroads, expecting Ryoma to break off in the direction of his house. Instead he was treated to a quirked eyebrow as Ryoma stepped ahead of him across the road.

A comfortable silence held between them as they walked, all the way up until Fuji's front door. Pausing with the key in the lock, he turned to Ryoma. "I just don't think I can stand the suspense anymore. What have I done to deserve the great Ryoma's presence on this day?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, Ryoma retorted, "Well it certainly wasn't your hospitality."

Hand held up in surrender, he finished unlocking the door, stepping inside as he pushed it open.

He held the door open for Ryoma, hand automatically making the 'welcome in' gesture.

Raising his voice, he called mockingly into the empty house, "Look Mum, he followed me home. Isn't he cute? Can I keep him? Pretty please?"

Fixed with a dry look as the younger boy moved past him and into the house, Fuji smiled pleasantly at the boy. A grunt portrayed Ryoma's total lack of amusement at being likened to a stray pet

Smile widening, Fuji let go of the door and led Ryoma deeper into the house

Indicating the passing scenery, Fuji began a commentary on his house. "Now, if you'll look to your left, you'll see a wall. It's exactly the same as the wall you'll see on your right. Ooh, now if the short people would incline their heads, they'll see a lovely piece of art by Yuuta. Wasn't he talented? He did it when he was three you know. I don't know why he keeps trying to sneak it out of the house. Even if everyone is slim to the extreme…oh, and ignore that extra line, that's a mistake. And now in the door way to your right…"

"Fuji," Ryoma interrupted the other boy's diatribe, "I have been here before."

"Saa," lower lip jutted out in a distinct pout, "I was just trying to make life more interesting."

"Life is never more interesting than when I am with you." Remarked Ryoma dryly.

Fuji beamed happily. "Why thank you."

Walking into the kitchen, Fuji propped himself up against the bench. "So, anything I can get for you?" As Ryoma was about to reply, Fuji continued, "Unfortunately, as it's just me here tonight, if you're hungry you'll have to make do with my cooking."

Nose wrinkled in distaste, Ryoma replied, "It's lucky I'm not hungry then, right?"

"So then, oh-house-guest-of-mine, what are we going to do?"

"Why are you asking me? It's your house, and your birthday."

"True. But I believe if we weight house guest rights against birthday rights, etiquette would demand I yield the birthday privileges."

Ryoma stared at Fuji as the older boy rattled of his glib answer. "Che. I'll do whatever you want to do."

"Ah so you want to try the Naga Jolokia too?" Fuji asked brightly.

"…except that."

Chuckling, Fuji gently bumped shoulders with the other boy. "Fortuitously for you, I was joking. I want to watch a TV special on desert plant species."

Shrugging, Ryoma trailed Fuji into the TV room and took a seat beside the older boy on the lounge. Just as he settled back, Ryoma sat up abruptly as a commercial for Fuji's program flashed on screen.

"You're watching a show about cactus fertilising?" Tone incredulous.

"Aha."

"You are _weird_. You know this right?"

"Mmm." The older boy hummed indifferently.

"Che." Relaxing slowly, Ryoma sat back in the seat once more.

Yet Fuji's tastes were not his own, and as Fuji flicked through the afternoon programming before his desired show, Ryoma began to drift. His eyes, gradually starting to close for longer periods of time..

Opening his eyes at Fuji's touch, the younger boy allowed himself to be drawn across and down towards Fuji's lap.

Ryoma's head settled on Fuji's thigh, gold eyes gazing up into blue, warm smile playing at the edges of both their lips.

Pushing his feet to the end of the lounge, the younger boy pushes off against the couch in a languid stretch. His arching body causes his shirt to slip along his body, bearing a strip of skin.

Fuji's hand slips quickly into the gap.

"Better be careful, or your supple young flesh might tempt the old man into molesting you." He stroked the skin under his hand with small movements.

Gold eyes looked from the place where the hand disappeared under his shirt and skimmed up Fuji's body, mouth attempting to stretch into a smirk. "Ohhh…I don't know. I've always liked them to be more mature."

Fuji nodded sagely. "Ah, so you appreciate a well rounded thinker with good conversational skills."

"I like _something _well rounded." Ryoma's eyes glinted with amusement.

Head tilting downwards, Fuji's face hovered above the younger boy's as Ryoma stretched up to meet his lips. The barest brush of skin and Fuji backed away, looking away from him.

"Wha…?" Ryoma questioned hesitantly.

Fuji placed a hand over Ryoma's mouth. "Shhh! It's started."

Ryoma rolled his eyes at Fuji's focus on what amounted to a show on animal faeces, but settled down to pretend he was watching the show.

As the program wore on, Ryoma became increasingly fidgety, not putting much of an effort into even pretending he was watching the show by the end of the half hour slot. His eyes tracked across the room, fingers tapping a random rhythm, as his legs and arms made minor twitching adjustments to his position.

Watching Ryoma's continuous movements, Fuji lightly nudged Ryoma's shoulder. "My Ryoma, all this fidgeting almost makes me think you're not enjoying the glorious presence of the birthday boy. How you wound me."

Amidst a slow blink, Ryoma seemed to come to a decision, rolling onto his side and squirming to find a more comfortable position. With a sense of deliberation the freshman's hand sought out Fuji's knee to pat it with a condescending flick. "Some people just have to settle for being less than perfect. You _are_ a fairly uncomfortable pillow. It must be those chicken legs of yours."

Fuji gazed at the imp in his lap. There was no one else quite like Ryoma. He swallowed a chuckle, lightly pinching Ryoma's flank.

"I don't think you're one to talk."

"Ahh," Ryoma said knowingly, "but I'm not the one attempting to be a pillow."

Aware of Ryoma's distaste for the action, Fuji refrained from ruffling his hair. "If it's that bad, there's always an actual pillow."

Pause in his search for a comfortable position.

"On a bed?"

Fuji bit his lip, stifling his smirk so he could reply in solemn tones. "Of course." He let a hint of his feelings come through in the tone of his voice. "Although there is a prerequisite stating there needs to be an absence of clothing."

Ryoma mulled that over for a moment. "Well I suppose if that's the only way…" Even before he'd finished the sentence, the younger boy was rising from his sprawled position. "Come on Birthday boy."

Chuckling Fuji stood, it was nice to have someone to celebrate his birthday with.

Hands stretching over his head, he followed Ryoma into his room, shutting the door softly behind him.

The lock clicked soundly into place.

X--------------------X--------------------X--------------------X--------------------X

Comments appreciated. Criticisms considered. Flames ignored.

_1_. Naga Jolokia- supposedly the hottest chili pepper around with a scoville rating between 855,000 and 1,041,427 (for reference, a jalapeno has a rating between 2,500 and 8,000)

Gee, I think the more I try and mature my writing style the worse it gets…

Was attempting fade to black type scenes, but I think they're just abrupt...any opinions?

My titles are getting worse and worse…any suggestions would be appreciated.

Edits, etc. please.


End file.
